Pomb-dropping and like release gear for releasing suspended bodies and members under tension



Aug. 20, 1929. F P 1,725,473

BOMB DROPPING AND LIkE RELEASE GEAR FOR RELEASI SUSPENDED BODIES ANDMEMBERS UNDER TENSION Filed Sept. 17. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 20,1929. F, P 1,725,473

BOMB DROPPING AND LIKE RELEASE GEAR FOR RELEASING SUSPENDED BODIES ANDMEMBERS UNDER TENSION 4 Filed Sept. 17, 1928 S Sheets-Sheet 2 Y F105,F104.

Flaw". F10] Aug. 20, 1929. F. H. PAGE 1,725,473

- ;BOMB.DROPPING AND LIKE RELEASE GEAR FOR RELEASING SUSPENDED BODIESAND MEMBERS UNDER TENSION Filed Sept. 1'7, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Hall.

I 45 released. Fi

Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITE FREDERICK HANDLRY PAGE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HANDLEYPAGE 1 LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

BOMB-DROPPING AND LIKE RELEASE GEAR FOR RELEASING SUSPENDED BODIES ANDMEMBERS UNDER TENSION.

mtion filed September 17, 1928, Serial No. 806,301, and in Great BritainSeptember 23, 1927.

This invention relates to release gears for releasing weights andmembers under tension, bemg particularly applicable for releasing bombscarried by aircraft.

This invention consists of improvements in the control mechanismapplicable to my earlier pattern. release gears in which the shackle ofa bomb or other body was carried by one arm of a pivoted lever orbetween two pivotally mounted ja ws, the said levers or jaws beinglocked in their closed position by a locking lever. This locking leverwas held in its locked position by a spring and was actuated to releasethe bomb 26 or other body either by direct pull or by the discharge ofan explosive cartridge actuating a piston in a cylinder which wasrigidly fixed to the frame of the release device, the piston rodoperating upon one end of the locking lever to rock it on its pivot tofree the supporting lever or 'aws carrying the bomb. It has been foundthe cartrid by which the iston is actuated, quickl fouls the interior ofthe cylinder and constant cleaning is required to ensure, goodoperation. The object of the present invention is to obviate thisdisadvantage and the object is attained broadly by so mountin thecylinder in the frame of the release evice that it can be quickly andeasily detached from the frame, for cleaning or other pur oses.

In order that the invention may be 0 early understood reference is madeto the accom- 53 panying drawings in which three examples Figure 1 is aside elevation of a release.

gear wherein the cylinder receiving the car- 60 tridge is pivotallymounted between the sire plates of thedevlce, and Figure2 is anelevation partly insection showing the parts in the position assumedwhen the cartridge has just been fired and the body has been re 3 is across section, on the line X Y of igure 1, showing the pivotal mountingof the cylinder, and Figures 4:

and 5 show the same parts, the cylinder being removed from the sideplates. Figures 50 6, 7 and 8 are respectively, elevation, end

view and sectional plan view of the cylinder detached. and Figures 9 and10 are elevation and plan views of the piston.

that the firing of lust-rated, is of U form with two parallel por-Figure 11' is an elevation showing an example of construction of arelease device wherein the bod being carried is supported by twopivotally mounted jaws, the cylinder being carried in a pivotallymounted socket. Figure 12 shows the socket detached.

' Figure 13 is an elevation of an example of construction showing thecylinder carried in a socket rigidly fixed between'the side plates, andFigure 14: is a detail of the socket detached.

According to the first example of construction as illustrated in Figures1-10, A is the cylinder which is pivoted on a pin B situatedapproximately at the centre of the length of the cylinder A between sideplates C and C forming the main structural device. The pin B upon whichthe cylinder A is pivoted, passes through the side plates C, C of therelease device and transversely through the cylinder A and is held inposition b a spring catch B which presses into an in cut B in a branch Bof the-pin B.

' It will be observed that the 'pin B, as iltions connected by anangular portion B. The branch B which is arallel to-the main portion ofthe pin WhlCh the cylinder A oscillates, passes through an enlargedaper: ture C in the side plate C, the aperture being large enough toallow a head B on the branch B to pass through. This enables theU-shaped pin to be slidden from the position shown in Figure 3 to theposition shown in Figure 4 where the head B is stopped by the inner wallof the side plate 0. This permits the cylinder A to be released from thepin B when the said cylinder A may be disconnected from the plates C, C.The cylinder A carries a piston D which is formed with a recess'or slotD to enable the said piston D to reciprocate the required distalpcewithin the cylinder A past the p Thepiston B extends beyond the cylinderA, and is pivotally connected at its remote end to one arm E of thelocking lever E forming the release catch. The locking lever E whenturned on its pivot against the action of a spring E dlsengages the endof a pivot lever F which carries ajaw 105 F for supporting the articleto be released.

G is an explosive cartridge which may be fired by any suitable meanswhen 1t is required to release the device. When firing takes place, thepiston D travels outwards causing the cylinder A slightly to swivel onthe pin B upon which it is pivoted, and rocks the locking lever E aboutits pivot, so freeing the lever or jaws FF supporting the bomb or otherbody being carried.

To remove the cylinder A for the purpose of being cleaned, the pin B,upon which it is mounted is freed from its spring catch 13 by the handof the operator and is withtlrawn'to enable the cylinder A to be sliddcnfrom between the plates, C, C forming the main structure and from offthe piston D which remains pivotally attached to one end of the lockinglever E.

The further embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 11 and 12consists of a socket or nut H located between the two plates C, Cforming the main structure of the device, which socket H is interiorlyscrewthreaded at H and receives one end of the detachable cylinder A,which is exteriorly screwthreaded at A The socket H in this constructionis mounted between the plates C, C and is carried on trunnions H formedon the socket H which permit of oscillation'of the cylinder A. The endof the cylinder A may be screwed down into the socket H, where it issecured rigidly in position. After the charge has been fired, thecylinder A can be readily removed for inspection or cleaning byunscrewing from the socket H.

The socket or nut which receives the screwthreaded end of the cylindermay be pivotally mounted between the side plates to allow the cylinderto oscillate as above described, or the socket or nut may be rigidlyfixed between the side plates as illustrated in Figures 13 and 14.

In this construction the trunnionsH are ispensed with and the necessarychange in angle between the piston D and the arm E of the lever-E iseifected by shaping the face of the arm E suitably to permit of the endof the piston D sliding on the said face of the arm E The socket and theend of the cylinder, instead of being screwthreaded may be formed with abayonet joint or any other a pivoted-locking lever adapted to hold andrelease the pivoted jaw, a cylinder detachably connected to the frameand containing a piston in such cylinder adapted to be thrust outwardsunder the action of a cartridge firedin the cylinder, a longitudinallysliding pivot pin having two parallel portions passing through the frameand one portionof such pin passing through the'cylinder and forming a.pivot Ipin on whichsaid cylinder is adapted to roc such piston'beingadapted to engage'and rock thelocking lever when thrust outwards by thefired cartridge, all constructed to release the mem- -gerinder tensionwhen the said cartridge is re a 2. Release gear for releasing membersunder tension, comprising in combination, a

frame adapted for attachment to an aircraft and containing a pivoted jawadapted to hold and release the member under tension, a pivoted lockinglever adapted to hold and release the pivoted jaw, a cylinder detachablyconnected to the frame and containing a piston in such '0 linder adaptedto be thrust outwards undler the action ofa cartridge fired in thecylinder,-a longitudinally sliding pivot pin passing through the frameand through the cylinder on WhlCh pivot pin said cylinder is adapted torock, means to permit the pivot pin being withdrawn from the cylinderbut not to be detached from the frame, such piston being adapted toengage and rock the locking lever when thrust outwards by the firedcartridge, all constructed to release the member under tension when thesaid cartridge is fired.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FREDERICK HANDLEY PAGE.

